A Lover and a Fighter
by AnimeCentral413
Summary: Kagami Taiga had a difficult time concealing his temper. So when Akashi said yet another insult to his friends Kuroko and Aomine, he finally had enough, and he snapped. Akashi would eat those words soon enough. And after that - well, Aomine comes to terms with his feelings and Kagami? He's as confused as ever.


**Title: **A Lover and a Fighter

**Author: **D.R. Ward

**Date: **4-6-14

**Age: **14

**Pairing:** AoKaga

* * *

**Summary: **Kagami Taiga had a difficult time concealing his temper. So when Akashi said yet another insult to his friends Kuroko and Aomine, he finally had enough, and he snapped. Akashi would _eat _those words soon enough. And after that - well, Aomine comes to terms with his feelings and Kagami? He's as confused as ever.

**A\N: **Yup. The ending was super rushed, I know, I know. xD This will be multi-chap, so don't worry. Also, a forewarning. I am TERRIBLE at prolonging things, but I will do the best that I can to draw out the attraction for a little bit, when all I really want to do is write some AoKaga smut. xD So, the chapters will be shorter from here on out, but I hope you like the emotion in this one!

* * *

A Lover and a Fighter

_Chapter One: A Fight In The Midst _

~oOo~

_Third Person POV_

* * *

Kagami Taiga had heard this utter bullshit for the last time. He couldn't _stand _that piece of shit Akashi. That di-coloured eyed piece of shit had tried to tame him for what seemed like the millionth time, and it had now become long overused. Taiga didn't just get _put down _like _a fucking puppy. _

Did Akashi really think he could push him around like he did the rest of the Generation of Miracles? Did he really think that there was a fucking _chance _he would back down because scissors – of all things – were thrust into his face? Did he really think he could insult _him, _and _Aomine, _and _Kuroko _all at once?

That fucking piece of utter shit.

Kagami would break him.

He would tear each and every muscle out of him and strangle his stupid ass frail neck with it until he was dead, and then he wouldn't stop. He couldn't stand people like Akashi; the "Emperor" made him feel no fear as to how he should handle the shorter red-head. Not only would he win against Akashi, he would _dominate _the fucker and show him what a _real_ loss was.

"_Pathetic," Akashi scoffed as he faced the Aomine, Kuroko, and Kagami under a lamp post with a jagged, keen look to his eye. He appeared to be absolutely furious. Aomine and Kuroko stiffened, but Kagami returned the teen's glare, figuring the shorter man to be a lot more annoying than he had initially thought. "Aomine is a glutton for idiocy in himself. He's too isolated from other people to even understand my concept of thinking._

"_Kuroko is useless. I had taught you your basketball, Kuroko, don't forget that. I know how it works, and you can't slip past me if you even dared to try. I will break you. And Kagami – oh, dear, sweet, bloody Kagami…you…are the worst of them all. You strive for human emotions like they _give _you something, when in reality, all that we were bred to do was win. I will never lose. Your attempts are futile – useless." _

Those words had been spoken all of a minute ago, which had been the initial cause to Kagami's snap of sanity.

Now – well, now, he was glaring down at the short red-head with malicious intent, his giant claw-like hands curved around smaller, more fragile ones as he forced the others arm and hand – scissors still gripped – back towards Akashi. The tip of the scissors lay right above the parietal part of the offender's skull.

Akashi, who was struggling to turn the scissors he had in his grasp back on his attacker, snarled and glared blindly up at the taller, more muscular male.

"Kagami-kun –!"

"Bakagami!"

He could hear the vague shout of his friends from behind him, mostly from shock, but he didn't bother in wasting time to turn back and glance at him. Instead, Kagami bent down, an animalistic curvature on his mouth causing all three occupants of the same space to freeze.

"Do you _dare _to insult my friends while I am standing here, Akashi? I could give two shits if you are a fuckin' god, let alone a goddamned self-proclaimed emperor – you will _not _speak like that in my presence. Let alone try and stab me with those useless pieces of fucking steel," Kagami gripped out with a menacing bite to his tone.

Akashi, never one to give up, decided to drop the scissors that were in his grasp and pull himself away from the taller teen, giving a few feet of space in between them.

The metal appliance skidded on the concrete a few meters from them.

For the three others it was easy to tell that Kagami wasn't exactly in his right mind at the moment – not only was he furious but Aomine and Kuroko new for sure he wouldn't be able to fuel his anger out before it got bad.

Aomine and Kuroko tried to speak up once more, for once, the two of them both mortally terrified of their friend – but Kagami cut them off. "You are _useless. _You aren't _human. _You can't _win. _You don't fit in _anywhere. _Don't fuel you're fucking fear towards me or my friends – don't you even try, because I will _cut you down. _Do you understand me?"

Kagami's lips curled back even more than before, showing two sharp canines that looked a lot more frightening under the flickering lamp light of the deserted road. Akashi was unfazed but furious at the same time; how dare someone try to place themselves higher than him? He was the emperor. He was the captain. He was the _master. _Akashi would not back down from something as petty as a threat.

Akashi blankly fueled his own anger out and stood up straight, appearing blank. "You have no authority to speak that way to me. You may try to use brute force to intimidate me – but that is simply impossible. I know all the outcomes of this conversation, and _none _of them result in my downfall. As for Kuroko and Aomine, I am just simply stating the facts. Someone as simple-minded as you could never fathom it."

Kagami took a threatening step forward. The aura around him was smoldering. Baking. Heated. Satanic. Scary. Terrifying. Alarming.

"I bet you know a lot about Japanese people, huh?" Taiga suddenly questioned, taking another step forward. Akashi didn't move. And as their friend stalked forward, Kuroko and Aomine suddenly realized that not moving was a _very bad idea. _"You study their actions, their thoughts, their ideals, and their _heart. _Their movement. However," Kagami lifted his head in the darkness and stared at Akashi with burning red orbs.

His eyes were glowing. Akashi could tell that much. He could see the fiery anger in his orbs, but he disregarded it, and instead managed to focus on what his peasant was trying to say before he crushed him down to smithereens.

"However," Kagami repeated, "you know nothing of Americans. You do not understand my fighting style. You wouldn't know how to handle it. They fight differently there than they do here – and as to how, I'll be more than willing to show you. Actually, there's not even an option that I won't, because this is the last time you _ever _insult Aomine. Or Kuroko. Or Seirin. Or, hell, the Generation of Miracles."

Akashi scoffed at the threat and waved it off. It was obvious that the taller red-head was bluffing on the American part – their style of fighting wasn't all that different from the Japanese. Even as Akashi had never been to America – he knew that much. "You cannot stop me from stating what I always do. _You are too weak._ Give up."

Kagami barked out a laugh. It was cold, quiet, and still as furious as ever. Akashi watched the teen with slight annoyance, less interest. It was as if Kagami was a piece of gum on the bottom of his shoe that just refused to come off – but Kagami wasn't going to sit there all night and discuss threats.

It was time to show this little punk some _action. _

Before Akashi could even blink, Kagami had pushed him up against the pole behind him so roughly that his spine clattered onto the metal, making it shake and the light to go off for a second. For a moment it was quiet, no one daring to breathe – not even able to see – before the light flickered back on and therefore illuminating the two faces of the rivals.

Kuroko shivered and Aomine could only stare with blatant shock. Sure, the bluenette had seen his friend get furious a lot, because the kid just couldn't keep it in, but he had never…never, ever experienced anything like this. It actually made his own blood run cold in fear; Aomine didn't even feel fear! Unless it was Akashi. And even then, it was annoying fear.

But Kagami?

If Aomine were under him he would be a cowering, withering mess trying to apologize to the other.

Even Akashi was shaken to the core.

Obviously. Kagami had just moved that fast. One moment he was there, and the next he wasn't.

"Ngh…" Akashi squeaked out a little when the collateral damage to his spine shot up the nerves in his body, telling him that that had just _hurt. _Otherwise, he dared to keep calm, looking Kagami directly in the eye with his di-hybrid eyes. "What do you think you are doing?" The emperor uttered with slight annoyance, still not understanding the situation he was in.

Inwardly, Kagami grinned like a Cheshire cat. This was just his treat. Lowering his voice just a tad, giving it the cold uttering sound that Akashi had always used, he spoke his next words.

Carefully. Choosing what word to put where. Making it scary. Laughing on the inside. Pondering what he should do. "Making you _beg _for mercy, you utter piece of shit."

Akashi looked surprised for the third time tonight.

Kagami chortled.

"Kagami-kun, please stop! It's okay, I'm sure he –." Kuroko tried to but in, but Aomine held him back. Without warning, the dead light and the newfound shadow dipped back into the darkness, still watching with fearful eyes.

"It's useless," Aomine uttered, biting his tongue a bit as he spoke, "this…this feels like the Zone. The Zone – and it's not even associated with basketball. Whatever Akashi said, or however the hell he worded it, it just set Kagami off, and…." The bluenette refused to go on. Both of them knew what was going to happen. Well, not exactly.

One of the two people about to fight was going to get clobbered. Obviously Kagami had the upper hand, but Akashi was known for…well, a lot of things. But he was sneaky. And Kagami would have to watch out, or he just might get himself killed.

At that, Aomine felt his chest tighten. Bakagami – killed? Was that even possible? Would Akashi take it that far? He wouldn't but it past his previous captain. They were both frantic now, and Aomine really couldn't tell what was going to happen.

His heart thumped unhappily at the thought of his Bakagami bleeding out on the streets with a pair of scissors sticking out of him. If that were the case, he himself would go after Akashi with a burning rage.

_No one would take his rival away from him. No one would take his friend from him. Fuck that. If someone is going to fucking die, it better be Akashi. _

Kagami, on the other hand, managed to tilt his chin up even more as he looked down. His eyes narrowed and glowed more substantially in the darkness. The two red-heads scowled at each other.

For a moment, nothing happened. Nothing but still breath.

And then Akashi was flying sideways. Kagami had gripped his left arm with his own powerful left, throwing him to the side almost carelessly. Akashi stumbled, shocked for a moment at the strength the other possessed, before righting himself. By now, Kagami was stalking towards him.

Aomine and Kuroko held their breath. Kuroko looked particularly fearful. He was surround by stronger people on all sides, and it made him feel slightly less adequate and a lot more scared than he had the right to be. Kagami-kun would handle things, wouldn't he? But Akashi-kun, Akashi was so strong! What – even Aomine couldn't beat him – and even though Kagami was so threatening right now, it might not be enough.

Kagami-kun was going to get killed. Slaughtered. In front of his two best friends.

Glancing over once, Kuroko saw the terrified look on Aomine's face as well. For a brief moment he thought that the dark-haired teen was scared of the fight, but then he saw something flash in his eyes – something scary and something that had been buried for a long, long time – the fear of losing someone he loved.

Kuroko could see it. He could just tell.

Aomine was afraid of losing Kagami. If not for the crush Aomine seemed to have on Kagami, then the fact that he would lose a valuable and helpful friend.

Perhaps Aomine didn't even know he liked Kagami.

Kuroko gulped and prayed to god Kagami didn't lose. If he did, Akashi would forever be out for him, hunting him down and caging him like an animal; he would be unable to roam the world without looking back in fear and wondering if someone was behind him with a knife to his neck.

Absently, Kuroko slipped his hand in Aomine's clenched one, tearing the tanned teen's hand apart and then entwining their fingers to offer as much comfort as he was able to. Even if he didn't care for the two of his friends in 'that way', Kuroko would be damned if he didn't try to do at least _something _to calm down one of their situations.

"You _bastard!" _Akashi suddenly shrieked. "How dare you lay your hands on me, you incompetent!" The shorter red-head fumed as he stood straighter, eyes a lot more dangerous than usual. The two bystanders couldn't help but flinch. Unconsciously, Aomine tightened his grip on Kuroko.

"I warned you," Kagami said, finally at the peak of his dangerously calm stage, "but you won't listen to me. I told you to _stay away. _Not only did you insult me or Kuroko, you insulted _Aomine _in front of me. And that, Akashi, you will _pay _for," Kagami hissed as he continued to stalk forward like an animal towards his prey.

Akashi paused for a moment and analyzed the situation. There was a slim chance he could run, but that would give all three of the people he knew the feeling of satisfaction, and that just wasn't possible. That option was definitely out.

Kagami was certainly agile and quite a bit stronger than him; however, he was most likely the better fighter. The other wouldn't stand a chance against him. The best option was to fight. Running or apologizing was cowardice, and Akashi hated that even more than he did losing. Which, really, wasn't even possible. Perhaps it was an equal share.

Akashi was only _just_ able to dodge the next advancement towards him. It was just a weak punch, almost to test the waters, and even thought it was such a test it was difficult to avoid. However he did so, and then moved to the right a little bit to gain his bearings.

Kagami crouched down, his long body a lot more in tune with itself than Akashi expected. But that didn't matter, really. The outcome would still be the same.

Quicker than Kagami could dodge, Akashi threw a heavy kick out to the side of Kagami's knee, rendering that one to cave in. Kagami lost his balance for a moment. He didn't fall, though. He wouldn't give that bastard the chance to let him fall. There was a slight ache in his leg now, obviously, but it was only minor and he could ice it when he got home and kicked this stupid fucker's ass.

Kagami stopped a punch that the captain of the Generation of Miracles threw at him. He decided to twist the knuckle then, forcing his hand up to the smaller teen's wrist, and kneed the short son of a bitch directly in the ribs hard enough to feel (and hear) the wonderful sensation of a _crack! _

Even Aomine and Kuroko heard it. They flinched.

Akashi grunted and coughed desperately, fighting off the pain that exploded in his chest. He danced away, careful of the ribs.

"You are useless," Akashi repeated, furious. "Aomine is useless. Kuroko is a lost cause. You're all useless without an emperor!"

Kagami scoffed and cracked his knuckled, loosening himself up. "I will watch you as you eat those words in a moment," the larger red-head scowled.

"Give up," Akashi continued anyway, standing up straight despite his ribs. He still maintained his defensive position, "and I won't give you as much pain as I will if you continue. If you're lucky, hospital. And then I will be done, and you will never speak back against me again." Akashi reasoned with his sickening smirk; that of which made Kagami want to barf.

"As if," Kagami scoffed. Really, who did this asshole think he was?

Without thinking anymore, Kagami lunged for the shorter teen, his leg already coming around to snag Akashi around the cheek. The other lifted his arm up just in time, surprised once more by Kagami's speed, and pushed him off, trying to get the corner of his hand around Kagami's neck.

With ease, Kagami pulled away and circled around back, kicking Akashi in the shin. A grunt ensued but as just a tease hit, Akashi found himself getting more and more pissed off. He was succumbing to his human emotions, stooping so low that he was becoming one of _them,_ but this idiot needed to be taught his place.

"Fuck _you," _Kagami said in English. He was sure the other three didn't know what it meant, but it was still in a malicious accent and therefore they assumed it was pretty bad, most likely a cuss word.

Aomine grunted. "Fuckin' idiot, Kagami. What the hell does he think he's doing?" Aomine muttered under his breath. Kuroko glanced up, scared, but Aomine didn't see. Instead, he was focusing on Kagami, watching him fight Akashi on par, if not a little bit better – faster. Stronger. At any other time, Aomine would gawk at the sight of Kagami fighting so well, so agile, so smooth and wondrous, but right now he was ready to fucking pass out.

Kagami really was going to kill him.

Kuroko was probably feeling the same.

"Then you will regret ever existing," Akashi replied stoically. Kagami was only replying with a grunt.

"I'm going to _love _breaking you," Kagami replied, evil clear in his eyes, "you should just pray you will be able to still play basketball when I'm done with you. But I'll make damn sure it doesn't happen for a long, long while."

Something bit at Kuroko and Aomine then.

This wasn't the Kagami they knew. This wasn't – Kagami wouldn't go that far – Kagami wouldn't…would he?

"Kagami!" Kuroko shouted from his spot in the darkness. "Please, please don't do this – he won't order you or anything anymore. Please, this isn't like you, Kagami-kun…."

"Shut UP!" Akashi replied for Kagami. "As if you could think so little of me! This just shows your insolence! As if this idiot could ever beat me!" The shorter red-head was saying quite loudly when Kagami delivered a quick left hook to the shorter one's nose, rending the crack under his nose to be satisfactory.

This left Kagami, Aomine, and Kuroko knowing that the nose was both broken and off-set.

Akashi stumbled away, hand on his nose, cursing.

Kagami was standing with a snarl, trying to calm himself down.

Aomine and Kuroko had flinched.

"…Bakagami, stop this," Aomine piped up. Kagami flinched, as if for the first time he had heard the two talking to him.

"Please, Kagami-kun, this isn't…."

"You. This isn't you. You don't do this. Don't fuckin' do this to me, aho. Finish this off and we'll kill you ourselves." Aomine spoke as he stepped forward a bit, only to be held back by Kuroko's pressing hand. Aomine shook his head and stood where he was, facing Kagami's shaking back.

"Please, let's just go home…." Kuroko murmured, still scared. "Leave it alone, Kagami-kun. We're scared. Let's just go."

Kagami flinched and glanced behind his shoulder for a moment.

That was a bad idea.

Just as he glanced back, Akashi had taken the opening and threw his leg around to nail Kagami in the side, making Kagami push all his weight to one side and eventually fall over. A painful grunt resonated in the darkness and with a cry from both Aomine and Kuroko, they lunged forward to try and protect their friend.

"Stop!" Kuroko and Aomine said at the same time. Akashi didn't listen. He took his moment of dominance and kicked Kagami in the ribs once, twice, thrice, rather forcefully. Each grunt spilled from Kagami's lips with a painful back to it.

On the forth kick, Kagami had lifted his hand and wrapped it around Akashi's skinny ankle, twisting it almost all around and hearing the sound of a pop and a devastating cry. The two bystanders flinched for what seemed like the millionth time.

Kagami groaned and rolled over as Akashi fell.

Shakily, feeling his body rather sluggish, Kagami stood on two feet, stopping himself from keeling over in agony. He then spat blood to the side, towards the light pole, and took his free arm that wasn't wrapped around his chest to his mouth to wipe away excess grime.

"Stay down," Kagami quivered, his voice somewhat weaker than before, but still strong and demanding. "Stay down there for the rest of your life," he spoke to the fallen teen, crumbled on the ground, holding his ankle and growling in pain, "I hope you come to realize how much of a selfish fucktard you are before you destroy yourself. Or, better yet, destroy yourself so you realize that _you _are the incompetent one."

Akashi almost replied, but as he opened his mouth, he found no words came out. He was beyond humiliated. Humiliated and even more furious than before. However, he couldn't stand. Aomine and Kuroko, Akashi could tell, took two tentative steps forward to see if it was alright to walk up to their friend once more.

"K-Kagami-kun…?" Kuroko whispered quietly.

Aomine glanced at Kagami's stiff back again. No, he stared it down, actually, both fearful and admirable towards it.

"Bakagami, let's go. Leave 'em."

Kagami glanced down at the teen below him once more, reeling with disgust. He wasn't only disgusted at Akashi – although that was a pretty damn big part of it – but he was disgusted with himself.

He was disgusting for making his friends worry about him.

He was disgusted for making his friends watch him in such a fit of rage.

He was disgusted that his friends saw him unravel like that.

He was disgusted that his friends were now _scared _of him.

Swallowing a lump in his throat, Kagami glanced up at Aomine and Kuroko, analyzing their faces for all of three seconds. He could see it. He could see the fear. The fear over rid the worry. It was really painful to see. The red-head didn't want to look at it anymore.

So he didn't. With a lapse of his shoulders and a widening of his eyes, Kagami realized the situation he was in. He hurt all over his body – from his head to the toe – and he couldn't feel anything but numbness inside. So, Kagami did the only thing he could do in his situation.

He ran. He ran like a motherfucker.

There were calls from behind him; Aomine and Kuroko were crying out his name in the otherwise silent road, but Kagami didn't even really register it as his long, heavy legs propelled him forward and carried him out of sight.

Once he was far enough away from that scene and close enough to his apartment – er, flat – Kagami stopped and moaned aloud. It was still abandoned around where he was because it was so late, so obviously no one could see him (thank god). As he did slow down, though, his body and mind kicked back into gear and he almost doubled over with the sheer pain that coursed through him.

_Fuck_, Kagami thought, _Fuck, fuck, and fuck. This is bad. This is really bad. What the hell have I done?_

He royally messed things up. That was what he had done. He had messed things up with Aomine and Kuroko for sure, and Akashi? Akashi would be out for blood. Not that he cared much about that little red-headed punk. However, Aomine and Kuroko had…well, had seen him like that, and he didn't wish that upon _anyone. _

What had happened didn't happen often. Actually, Kagami could only remember two other times that his emotions over rid his body and caged him and released him at the same time. He wasn't thinking rationally, of course, so he just took everything by instinct like America had taught him…and he looked like a monster in front of the two people he cared about most.

Aomine was sure to already hate him. Kuroko was too kind to hate him, but Kuroko would always be scared of him. Kagami didn't want that.

Kagami hissed as he felt the deep cut on his cheek seep out blood, and only then did he realize it had been bleeding ever since Akashi had tried to kill him with scissors – for the second time, really. His knuckles were also sore, but that was the least of his problems.

His knee would certainly have to be iced and his face would have to be stitched – Kagami wasn't even sure if he had the thread to sew it! However he at least had a sanitizing needle.

As Kagami limped heavily back towards his apartment, which was at least in view, he over-assessed the base of his wounds.

His stomach would also have to have ice taped to it. Kagami was sure none of his ribs were injured, but there would be heavy bruising from where he was kicked by the asshole of an emperor. He really hoped he had enough ice to cover the majority of the bruising. Well, if not, he had a few bags of peas he could use. Other than that, though, he was just sore and his body was sluggish from taking both a physical and emotional blow. That was pretty bad. He had ran from his friends. He had let his emotions take over his rationality, and he really just dug himself a grave to lay in for the rest of eternity.

How fuckin' stupid could he be?

Kagami scoffed and grunted in pain, spitting out from more blood to the side of him. Well, it was useless to think about it now. He would dwell over it later.

It took a couple more minutes before the red-head had arrived home. When he did he almost collapsed in relief on the couch, but the notion that he had to take care of himself did out his need to rest. Without too much difficulty Kagami swerved around his almost empty home to get to the kitchen, and then in the freezer.

_Ugh…. _Kagami thought to himself. _Only ice, isn't there? Don't I have – ah, there! _Kagami pulled out two large, flexible icepacks that he usually uses for his calves after practice, and looked upon them with satisfaction. After doing so he moved to one of his cabinets that contained most of his medical supplies, happy when there were about four ace bandages in the wooden concealment, all of them different sizes.

He took out two large ones and carries the ice and ace bandages to the kitchen counter.

Kagami would also need something to stop the bleeding. As he moved back to the cabinet, he glanced around for some disinfectant wipes, cotton balls, some thread, and some alcohol. He knew where the needles were. That would be grabbed after his disinfecting of the cheek wound.

"God, I freaking hate doing this…." Kagami murmured to himself in English while he sat down the cotton balls and the alcohol that he found. There were no disinfectant wipes, so this would have to do. Kagami lifted the bottle of alcohol and took off the cap easily, before taking a cotton ball in his hand. Effortlessly he upturned the disinfectant onto the cotton ball to seep up what was needed.

Kagami then put the bottle down and pressed the cotton ball to his cheek.

"Ah, fuck!" Kagami hissed out in English again. God, that fuckin' _stung. _

Ignoring the tightening of his muscles that were protesting with the action, Kagami carefully cleaned the wound. The pain made him unable to think for a bit, which he was grateful for.

When he was done, he threw the cotton ball away and threw the bag of cotton balls back in the cabinet. Soon after a needle was found and dipped into the alcohol because only god knows where that needle had been. Even if it was perfectly save in the wooden compartment he didn't know what kind of bacteria could get stuck on a thing like that, therefore it was better to be safe than sorry.

The thread was pushed through the needle and tied seconds later.

Still limping, Kagami set himself down at the kitchen table and propped himself up on his elbows. There would be no mirror because it always made it hurt more, looking at his injury. Kagami rolled his eyes. What kind of fucked up reason was that anyway? Whatever. Anyway, Kagami busied himself with pressing the sharp needle onto the beginning of the wound on his cheek – right below his eye, to be precise. Akashi had upper-cut him with the scissors after all.

With a hiss Kagami felt the needle pierce his skin and push through the torn skin. He flinched at the blooming pain and could feel his hands getting warm and sticky once more – so, he was bleeding some more. That was fine. Natural, even. He had done this quiet enough.

Kagami pulled the string through the first time and inwardly cringed at the feeling of the string pulling through his skin. He could feel it pull against the slight indentation on his flesh, but he ignored it, going back for the second stitch. He wasn't going to do any fancy stich; Kagami just needed to keep the skin together long enough for it to heal.

On the forth stitch, Kagami heard the sound of his door being slammed open. _Didn't I lock it? _Kagami thought briefly as he jumped and almost stabbed himself in the eye. _I must've not. Damn, I need to be more careful. _The red-head growled under his breath and got up, dropping the needle and let it hang from the loose thread of the next stitch, hitting him on the chest repetitively as he limped forward and tried to figure out who the hell walked into his home like that.

As he saw the intruder, the first thing he did was freeze.

_Ahomine! _

Kagami almost jumped out of his skin as he saw his friend, rival, and crush at the base of the door, panting and glaring in his direction. The red-head almost flinched under the scrutinizing gaze in his direction. "What're you doing here?" He grumbled instead, wondering what Aomine was doing in his home. It wasn't like the teen made regular visits – and he was pretty sure the other didn't even want to see him anymore.

Aomine blinked.

With a sharp inhale the bluenette watched as the needle dangled from a thread that was connected to Bakagami's skin, and he could only half-fight the need to scrunch up his face in annoyance and awe. He didn't think Kagami would actually clean up the wound like it was supposed to at home – shouldn't he go to the hospital instead? Whatever the fuck they would do there.

However, they would also need an explanation. Which, Aomine was sure Kagami didn't want to give.

"The fuck?" Aomine directly ignored the question. "You're stitching that up on your own?"

Kagami shrugged and turned his head to the side with a soft growl. "Of course. I've done it enough."

"Enough?"

"America. Most are a lot less kind there than here," Kagami didn't elaborate on that subject, and Aomine didn't make him. Instead, the darker of the two nodded and motioned for Kagami to go back to the kitchen, from which the older teen did. As he sat down and propped his arms up and grasped the needle again, Aomine slipped in the seat opposite from him quite loudly.

There was a gruff snort and a pout of annoyance, Kagami could tell. He almost rolled his shockingly red eyes at his friend's antics. Ahomine was even more of a kid than he was.

"So?" Aomine asked as Kagami pierced his skin once more. The other grunted at the pain and then glanced at Aomine as he pulled the string through. A blue eyebrow was raised, but Kagami disregarded it, and furrowed a messed up red one of his own.

"So what?" Kagami asked nonchalantly, not wanting to repute the feeling of horror in his chest then.

Aomine rolled his eyes. "Why the hell did you take out like that? Kuroko was scared shitless that ya were gonna get hit by a car or something. I had to shoo him home before coming after ya, 'cause you ran away like something caught your ass on fire. So, what was it?" Aomine explained through narrowed eyes and a mouth curled downwards, making Kagami flinch and glance to the side.

Kagami didn't reply until he finished the fifth stich. Then he sighed and glanced away, his own face feeling crestfallen and judged. "You should know," he answered cryptically with a bitter tone.

Aomine shook his head and kept his thin eyebrow raised. "Well I don't. You're the idiot who always calls me stupid. Ain't like I can read minds," the dark-haired teen replied. Kagami clenched his teeth as he began his next stich. However it wasn't because of the pain this time, it was having to explain himself to this idiot who couldn't even understand why he ran away.

"Y'know…." Kagami started quietly. "I've never really seen you two scared. I've seen you shocked and angered and lustful and happy and pissed off and annoyed and even timid – but I've never seen you scared like the way you were tonight. And it wasn't even because of Akashi – you guys always regarded him with a cool fear; that you knew your place and not to step out of it – you guys were just…." Kagami trailed and took a deep breath, slamming his mouth shut.

Instead, Kagami focused on the sixth stitch.

"Scared? Hell yeah, we were scared," Aomine glared. "Some idiot decides to go against the one kid you should _never _go up against. God, Bakagami. We both thought you were gonna die. And I'll admit that both I and he were a little bit scared at your power – but we were more awed than anything. I mean, c'mon. Akashi is the devil himself, and you literally, well, put the bastard into his place. But he won't stop. Not until he's killed, anyway. He will try to erase you from existence."

And then, a little bit quieter, Aomine admitted: "We were scared you would be erased from us instead. That you were actually gonna die."

Kagami paused in his action of sewing himself up and simply stared at Aomine like he grew another head. To be honest, the red-head had never heard Aomine being that emotional to not only him – but to _anyone. _The bluenette wasn't really one to wear his heart on his sleeve and hearing something like that now just sounded wrong.

But that didn't mean that it didn't make Kagami feel a little bit better.

He knew that his friends were still scared of his power. That much was obvious. Anyone would. Hell, _he _would, had he not experienced it first-person. Thought Kagami could also tell that Aomine was telling the truth. His friends were scared that he would die. And he would be damned if that didn't make him feel good.

Kagami blushed slightly and turned his head to the side as his crush continued to wash his eyes over him. After a moments silence, Kagami let out a small 'thanks' past his lips, before glancing down, ashamed. His fingertips gripped the needle then, not moving, and letting the other stare at him.

Aomine let out a deep sigh and rolled his eyes. Really, what was he going to do with Kagami? The idiot was a glutton for trouble.

"Take off your shirt," Aomine demanded instead of continuing the embarrassing conversation for the both of them. Kagami's head snapped up not even a second later and Aomine could swear that Kagami's blush deepened. However, that could also been the blood on his cheek. Whatever. A kid could dream.

"Haaaaaah?!"

Aomine rolled his eyes, much to Kagami's dismay. "I'm gonna wrap you up with ice before those icepacks thaw, alright? Geez." Aomine explained, fighting off a little blush of his own. Kagami was just thinking dirty, Aomine told himself. It wasn't like Kagami liked him. Duh.

"_Not only did you insult me or Kuroko, you insulted Aomine in front of me. And that, Akashi, you will pay for,"_

Those words echoed in the sixteen-year-olds mind and caused him to cling for some unreasonable hope. It made him feel, strangely, _wanted. _And as much as a pussy he was for saying this – it made him feel fucking _good. _Maybe it wasn't useless – pining after Kagami that way – but he was pretty sure the red-head was full out, one-on-one straight. He would almost bet his basketball career on it.

"O-Oh," Kagami blushed as he saw Aomine stand and grab the ace bandage and an ice pack. Doing what the other told, the seventeen-year-old dropped his needle and let it hand from his face once more, lifting his shirt up and off with a hiss of pain. Aomine watched this with a pissed off stare, from which Kagami flinched under.

"Just…don't press too hard," Kagami asked his friend quietly. Aomine nodded curtly, not wanting to call Kagami out on his embarrassment, and settled for gently pressing the first ice pack down on the heavily bruised chest. There was a feasible leg mark that descended diagonally from Kagami's left nipple down to his right rib, and it already looked pretty damned gnarly. Aomine bit back a snarl. Akashi, that fucking bastard.

Aomine took a deep breath and told Kagami to lift his arms. The red-head did so, and the bluenette couldn't help but watch Kagami's ripped, agile muscles move under his skin as they went airborne. However, with his task at hand, Aomine snapped himself out of it and began wrapping the ace bandage around Kagami's midsection.

Kagami, on the other hand, blushed profusely as Aomine's soft but callused fingertips elegantly make their way around him, forcing him to draw in a sharp breath. He was pretty sure Aomine took it as a pained breath instead of an aroused one, because the darker of the two let up a little bit, but still firmly wrapped the bandage around him.

"….Thanks, though," Aomine found himself apologizing in the silence as he got the icepack to stay in one place and the bandages to wind themselves around the smaller teen's frame. "Not a lot of people have the balls to snap back to Akashi, let alone beat his ass for insulting his friends. It was pretty badass," Aomine smirked as he glanced up at Kagami for a second, pleased when he saw the other's blushing face up close.

That was his treat for the night. Fuck. Yes.

Kagami rolled his eyes and glanced away, trying to calm his heavily thrumming heartbeat. Aomine was so close he could literally feel the body heat coming off of him. Even with his injuries, he couldn't help but feel a little bit tingly on the inside.

"Whatever, Ahomine," Kagami mumbled. "The bastard got on my nerves."

Aomine snorted. "Apparently,"

Kagami glared. "Fuck off."

Aomine grinned. "Daw, don't be mean. I'm helping, yeah?"

"I need to finish my stitches."

"Meh. That can wait."

"Fucker, no it can't! The skin is already numb! I need to finish it before it hurts again!"

"Pussy,"

"Coming from you,"

"Whatever. You should've put ice on it first, it'll numb the nerves a bit more."

"I've…never really thought of that."

Of course. "Baka."

"Shut up!"

Kagami blushed and Aomine smirked.

After that, Aomine continued to tend to his friend's wounds in silence.


End file.
